The broadcast is aired each Sunday night from 9:00pm until 2:00am central. Affiliate radio stations are required (as of November 28, 2007) to broadcast two concurrent hours of programming. There are three versions of the show that are produced. The first, and most common version, is an all-talk version that has a mix of live and pre-recorded content, as well as elements where listeners can participate. The second is a CHR-hybrid version, which is entirely pre-recorded and contains nine songs, eight calls, two features, and one talk break from Dawson. It's not carried on as many stations as the talk version, but stations in larger cities tend to opt for this version of the show. The third version of the show is a Hot AC version which contains seven songs, eight calls, and all talk breaks from Dawson. This is the version carried by the fewest number of stations.

Starting March 31, 2008, he began running a weeknight version of the show called Dawson McAllister Late Nights, in which listeners could request songs and talk to Dawson in the middle of the night. The show now airs from 10:00 p.m to 2:00 a.m.